


The Angel and the Donkey

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: Saphael Winter Tales [18]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Elementary School, Alternate Universe - Human, Best Friends, Costumes, Gen, Hugs, School Play, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Winter, cheek kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: "And look on the bright side - at least you're not playing a donkey," he added with a laugh and grabbed for the tail that was pinned to his own behind, lightly hitting Raphael with the soft material."The animals are an important part of the story as well and you're a cute donkey, Si." Raphael showed one of his genuine, warm smiles that always made Simon feel all tingly and warm inside. He grinned at the younger boy before poking the dress that Raphael held pressed to his chest."Get dressed or this cute donkey will kick your angel butt!" Simon threatened without any heat and laughed gleefully when Raphael stuck his tongue out at him in return before flipping him off and finally pulling the damn dress over his head.





	

"Are you still angry about your costume?" Simon asked tentatively and reached out to curl his finger's around his best friend's hand, tugging gently to hopefully get Raphael to look at him again.

"Costume? This is a _dress_! I'm a _guy_!" Raphael complained, his voice laced with as much indignation as an 8-year-old could muster. Arms crossed in front of his chest, he glared at his costume. The costumes had been supposed to be delivered a week ago but there had been some difficulties and now they had only gotten them on the day of the school play and there was no option to change anything about it now.

"Imagine it's just a very long shirt and not a dress?" Simon suggested and he felt a little helpless because he wanted to make his best friend feel better but didn't know how. Raphael had been so ecstatic when he got the role of the angel in the Christmas story, the one who appeared to the Shepherds, Joseph and Mary. He had been happy about the role because not only was it important but Raphael himself was named after an angel, the archangel Raphael, and therefore he worked hard to earn this role.

"But it still looks like a dress and boys aren't supposed to wear dresses," Raphael said with a pout and he was clearly distressed about his costume. Simon squeezed Raphael's hand gently with his tiny fingers before letting go and wrapping his arms around the shorter boy.

"It's okay for boys to wear a dress sometimes and you're playing a role so it's the angel wearing this, not you," he tried to soothe his best friend's sorrow and pressed a soft kiss to the other's cheek, smiling against his warm, soft skin.

"And besides, you will look so much prettier in a dress than any girl ever could!"

Raphael tried to stay mad at the situation but Simon's comment caused him to snort softly and he glanced at his best friend, the lanky 9-year-old with the too big glasses that always tried to slip off his nose and the goofiest smile he had ever seen.

"That sounds kind of gay," Raphael pointed out but it was clearly teasing and not insulting. Simon stuck his tongue out and pressed another, more slobbery, kiss to his best friend's cheek who made a disgusted sound and tried to squirm out of the surprisingly tight embrace.

"If thinking that my bestest friend is pretty and loving him makes me gay, so be it. Gay also means _happy_ anyway and I'm really, really happy to have you as my best friend," Simon commented almost loftily, chin raised to look down on Raphael even more than he already did with the few inches he was already taller than the other. The other raised one of his expressive eyebrows before his face finally lit up with laughter bubbling up in his chest.

"You're so ridiculous. And, for the record, I don't care which kind of _gay_ you are because you will always be my best friend," Raphael said, still laughing, and now it was his turn to press a kiss to the other's cheek.

"Come on, get in your _dress_ , my angelic bestest friend. The teacher said we want to practice again before the performance and she will get mad if we show up too late," Simon finally sighed and then simply grabbed the hem of Raphael's shirt to pull it over his head and then grabbed the angel costume to hand it to the other boy.

"And look on the bright side - at least you're not playing a donkey," he added with a laugh and grabbed for the tail that was pinned to his own behind, lightly hitting Raphael with the soft material.

"The animals are an important part of the story as well and you're a cute donkey, Si." Raphael showed one of his genuine, warm smiles that always made Simon feel all tingly and warm inside. He grinned at the younger boy before poking the dress that Raphael held pressed to his chest.

"Get dressed or this cute donkey will kick your angel butt!" Simon threatened without any heat and laughed gleefully when Raphael stuck his tongue out at him in return before flipping him off and finally pulling the damn dress over his head.

* * *

Guadalupe enveloped both Raphael and Simon in a big hug after the play, mumbling praise in Spanish to both of them and peppering their foreheads and cheeks in kisses.

" _Mamá_ , _alto, por favor_ ," Raphael complained but he was unable to suppress a chuckle and it was obvious he didn't really mind the affection and praise at all.

"You boys were so good up there, I'm really proud of you," Guadalupe said for what felt like the hundredth time and Simon smiled brightly. When they finished the play and stood up on stage, bowing to the applause, there had been a brief moment where he felt utterly sad about the realisation that his mother wasn't here once again and therefore also didn't bring his older sister to watch him play.

Ever since his dad had the accident a few years ago, his mum had started working more and he knew it was to pay for everything and have money for food but Simon still felt disappointed because work always kept her from visiting events at his school. But he never told her about it or complained and when she said she was sorry for missing out again, Simon patted her head and told her it was okay. And it was mostly okay because at least he always had Raphael by his side and his best friend's mother always attended everything, sometimes with and sometimes without Raphael's four younger brothers.

"Your mum called me right before the play started and told me she couldn't make it, that there's still a lot to do at work. She's really sorry and asked me to take a photo of you boys in your costumes for her," Guadalupe said, addressing Simon with a motherly smile, and the boy nodded with a sigh before his brilliant smile returned and he grabbed Raphael's hand to pull him back so that Guadalupe could take a few photos of them still in their costumes. They even exchanged their head gears for one of the photos and couldn't stop laughing at the sight of Raphael in his angel outfit with floppy donkey ears stuck to his head and Simon in his donkey costume with a wobbly halo hovering above his unruly mop of hair.

Of course, Simon was still a little sad his mother didn't see him play but he wasn't mad at her and at least he could spend some more time with Raphael and Guadalupe this way because they went out for dinner after changing back into their own clothes and in the end Simon was even allowed to spend the night at the Santiago's. Nothing was better at chasing off lingering sadness than curling up in a warm bed with your best friend wrapped around you.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Alto, por favor_ \- Stop, please


End file.
